Nutrient deficiencies lead to many health hazards ranging from anemia to mental retardation and neural tube defects. Iron deficiency is particularly common in women of child bearing age and from lower socioeconomic strata. Supplementation in the form of ferrous sulphate is often unacceptable due to cultural barriers, gastric irritation, metallic tastes and other complications. Iodine is another nutrient that requires fortification to prevent life threatening complications due to its deficiency. Another important nutrient is folic acid. Folic acid deficiencies in pregnant women can lead to neural tube defects in newborns.
There is a need for fortification technologies that can ensure optimal intake of these nutrients that is non-invasive and easily acceptable for widespread deployment amongst women in developing countries and from lower socioeconomic strata. All fortification strategies need to keep in mind the local cultures and beliefs for success. Since oral fortification of foods usually requires the need to be tailor-made for local food habits and requires training for successful implementation, there is a need to develop other means of functional preparations that will both alleviate such nutritional deficiencies and also meet consumer acceptance and affordability from all segments of the society.
Consumers, particularly women are always interested in improving the appearance of, for example their skin, lips, hair by imparting to these biological surfaces cosmetic compositions such as face powders, foundations, eyeliners, lip gloss, lipsticks, mascaras, mehendi powder etc to enhance the aesthetic appeal and improve their overall appearance. Thus, cosmetics in the form of skin decorations, (pastes, mehendi, patches and bindis) and eye decorations (kajal, kohl) are commonly used by women worldwide including women from rural areas and developing countries. Therefore, targeting cosmetics that are usually applied transdermally is an attractive option for affording optimal amount of nutrients to the skin. The present invention is directed at nanoparticle based cosmetic compositions that can play a dual role of both imparting an aesthetic appeal to the skin, however, simultaneously revitalizing and affording the vital nutrients to the body.
The stratum corneum is one of the main barriers for getting across the actives through the skin. Technologies that can penetrate through the stratum corneum barrier have the potential to be absorbed by the skin. There are no technologies at present that can afford multiple nutrients like iron, iodine and folic acid through cosmetics like skin and eye decorations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,424 teaches a cosmetic composition comprising carnitine or a cosmetically acceptable salt or ester, pyruvic acid or a cosmetically acceptable salt or ester, a nutrient selected from the group consisting of vitamins or a cosmetically acceptable salt or ester, essential amino acids or a cosmetically acceptable salt or ester, and essential fatty acids, and (iv) trehalose or a cosmetically acceptable salt or ester. The nutrient is selected from the group consisting of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, an essential amino acid and a cosmetically acceptable salt or ester thereof. The patent does not have any strategies for improved systemic penetration of the nutrients, is limited to certain types of nutrients and does not have any liposomal or nanoparticulate carriers for sustained release of the nutrients and does not deal with the nanoparticulate compositions as envisaged in the present invention
U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,827 describes a composition having therapeutic and cosmetic effects having methyl nicotinate in a diluent to increase circulation in the area of application and as a pain reliever and muscle relaxant. The composition may also contain various vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. The methyl nicotinate also acts as a facilitator to promote the transdermal penetration of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients into the skin. The patent describes the use of methyl nicotinate which may have undesirable side effects. It does not have any liposomal or nanoparticulate carriers and the composition is different from the nanoparticle based cosmetic composition envisaged in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,990 teaches cosmetic formulations containing free and derivatized forms of conjugated linoleic acid. Certain vitamin/conjugated linoleic acid combinational molecules are described which deliver equimolar amounts of both free components to the epidermis. The patent is limited to specific linoleic acid derived nutrients. The nutrients are delivered only to the epidermis and there are no strategies for the penetration of the nutrients through the full thickness of skin for systemic delivery. It does not have any liposomal or nanoparticulate carriers as present in the nanoparticle based cosmetic composition of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,992 involves methods and compositions for delivering micronutrients by formulating them in the form of esters which are convertible to the active form of the micronutrient, for example as a co-ester that inhibits esterases prior to delivery to the cells. The patent does not describe penetrating or fluidising strategies for penetration through the stratum corneum and through the dermis for systemic delivery through the skin. The strategy requires a chemical modification of the nutrient and hence is restricted in its applicability. It does not have any liposomal or nanoparticulate carriers as present in the nanoparticle based cosmetic composition of the instant invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,776,349 describes the local delivery of cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical agents locally into the skin or nails. The composition comprises two biocompatible organic solvents, 6 to 30% by weight of lecithin, 0.5 to 19% by weight of at least one or more surfactant one of which are docusates, 40 to 65% by weight of water, 1 to 15% by weight of urea and 0.05 to 5% by weight of thickener like polyethylene glycol, methyl cellulose, and carbomer, and the organic solvents comprise 2 to 30% of isopropyl myristate and 0.5 to 20% of propylene glycol. The drugs delivered are vasodilating agents or antimicrobial agents. The patent deals with the local delivery of specific drugs into the skin and does not deal with the nanoparticle based compositions as envisaged in the present invention that can afford absorption of multiple nutrients through the skin. Many synthetic polymers and organic solvents are involved in the invention which can lead to toxic side effects. There are no specific skin penetrating strategies and does not deal with liposomes or nanoparticles for sustained release of nutrients as can be achieved with the present invention.
Similarly U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,337 describes the delivery of a pharmaceutically active substance like analgesic, anti-inflammatory drugs, a biologically active protein, a cellulite reducer, a substance P antagonist, or an antineoplastic compound, through the skin using a composition consisting of organic solvent like isopropyl myristate and isopropyl palmitate, a polar lipid namely lecithin, a surfactant from the group consisting of docusate sodium, docusate sodium benzoate, docusate calcium, tween 80, polysorbate 80, and ibuprofen, water, and 5 to 20 wt % of urea. The invention does not describe the delivery of multiple nutrients and does not deal with liposomes or nanoparticles for the sustained release of nutrients. The invention contains undesirable organic solvents and urea which can have side effects limiting its applicability.
Thus in view of the foregoing, realizing the need to circumvent the aforementioned drawbacks the inventors of the present invention have endeavored to develop a liposomes or nanoparticle based cosmetic compositions employing biodegradable lipid nanocarriers for fluidization of the stratum corneum that can afford penetration of multiple nutrients through the skin. The present invention avoids the employment of synthetic polymers and organic solvents.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to develop a composition that permits penetration of multiple nutrients through the skin along with commonly used cosmetics. The present invention affords sustained release of nutrients using nanosized carriers.